


A Terran's Guide to Visiting Betazed

by tablelamp



Category: Star Trek: The Next Generation
Genre: Advice for tourists, Betazed, Gen, Tourism, Worldbuilding: Betazoid telepathic/empathic abilities - Freeform, betazoids, guidebook
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-06
Updated: 2020-04-06
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:07:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,118
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23515912
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tablelamp/pseuds/tablelamp
Summary: A guide for the inexperienced traveler, edited by Kareen Flores, Reittan Hagan, and Amanin Genestra
Comments: 2
Kudos: 15
Collections: Space Swap 2020





	A Terran's Guide to Visiting Betazed

**Author's Note:**

  * For [pauraque](https://archiveofourown.org/users/pauraque/gifts).



_Introduction_

So you're going to visit Betazed! Everyone should at least once in their lives. Maybe you've heard about the extraordinary beauty of the night skies, or want to visit Lake Cataria. Perhaps you’re looking for the restaurant that serves the best uttaberry pie or you’d like to enjoy the Riixian nightlife. Or it could be that you’re looking for a quiet, homey place to stay on the shores of the Opal Sea. This guidebook, like many other guidebooks, has suggestions for places you should see, eat, shop, and stay, but that's only part of visiting Betazed. Life on Betazed is rich and complex, and if you are a Terran visiting for the first time, it's best to know about cultural details and practices that may be different from what you're used to. 

We recommend making at least a cursory study of Betazoid culture before the first time you visit, partially because you are visiting a planet where many of the residents are telepaths. If something surprises you, there's no hiding it; those around you will generally know. Although Betazoids are used to visitors from off-world, it is considered courteous to learn about their traditions and culture ahead of time--so that, for instance, if you have never attended a traditional Betazoid wedding and are invited to one, you will not interrupt the guests' enjoyment with any shock or shame you might feel.

If you're ready, let's begin.

_1.1: Introduction to Betazoid Culture: Openness and Telepathy_

The most important thing to know about Betazoid culture is its openness. Because many Betazoids are powerful telepaths, they can sense the feelings and thoughts of those around them. On Betazed, this is not considered rude. In fact, it's considered rude not to engage in some level of monitoring of the emotions of those around you, so that you can quickly become aware of any discomfort or unease from anyone. Children in Betazoid families may have occasional flashes of telepathy and will often blurt out the stray thoughts of others that they overhear; this is socially acceptable and is considered a standard developmental step, like teething or fine motor skills.

Although Terra is a Federation world, you will likely not have had extensive contact with large groups of beings who are telepathic. Do not make the mistake, if you have worked with, traveled among, or befriended Vulcans, of thinking that Vulcan telepathy and Betazoid telepathy are the same. Vulcan culture prizes restraint, and although Vulcans do have a certain level of telepathy, they would consider it unspeakably rude to probe your mind without permission. For Betazoids, telepathy is just another mode of speech, and often a more direct one than audible speech. 

Because knowing the thoughts of others is a fact of life on Betazed, individual Betazoids may not entirely understand Terrans who are uncomfortable with having their thoughts on display. This is not to say that Betazoids cannot hide thoughts, feelings, or memories from themselves or from others; they can, but over time, such an act becomes physically and mentally harmful to them. It is also considered extremely ill-mannered, because only the strongest telepaths can hide certain thoughts well enough that their presence cannot be detected by others. Less skilled telepaths can block thought detection, but other telepaths present will know that something is being blocked, and will become extremely offended.

You will notice that, thus far, this guide has referred to "many Betazoids" as telepaths and not "all Betazoids." This is because telepathic strength varies greatly among Betazoid children. There are some Betazoids with no telepathic abilities at all; their thoughts can still be read by others, but they cannot read thoughts themselves. This can be very frustrating for children, and is one of the things that led to other forms of communication, including, most recently, spoken language, as well as the gestural language that is the approved mode of conversation in certain traditional schools and communities on Betazed. While some Betazoids have no telepathy, others have telepathy of such strength and power that it is difficult for them to tell their own thoughts from the thoughts of the beings around them. There are certain schools on Betazed designed to train those students how to most effectively work with their abilities; it is often a grueling process, but in most cases, it can be done. In cases where it can't, Betazoids with particularly strong telepathy often like to work in solitary environments, so that filtering out the thoughts of others becomes unnecessary.

Practically speaking, what does this mean for you as a visitor? First, you should be aware that, in any public situation, more than one being around you likely knows what you're thinking and almost certainly knows what you're feeling. Try not to worry about this. The openness of Betazoid culture means that no one is expected to be happy or friendly all the time, and that passing insulting or frustrated thoughts are not taken too much to heart. However, if you are thinking consistently and consciously critical thoughts about a particular Betazoid you meet, they may choose not to spend further time in your company, just as another Terran might if you consistently and consciously criticized them. Keep in mind that the prevalence of telepaths on Betazed can also, for some, lead to a stronger sense of safety. For instance, if something unexpected should happen and you are in difficulty or distress, those around you will know almost immediately and will do their best to help you.

Second, Betazoids are accustomed to beings with varying levels of telepathy, and will often greet you telepathically and verbally at the same time. If you only respond to one of the greetings, they will speak to you in your preferred manner. Universal Translators have recently been upgraded to provide direct audio translation of more than 3,928 nonverbal languages from across the galaxy, and there is a widely available visual dictionary for Betazoid gestural language that can easily be downloaded to your PADD, so if you are willing to learn some of the most common gestures you will need--greetings, asking for directions, and saying thank you are especially useful--don't let your anxiety keep you from visiting more traditional communities on Betazed. They're great places where Betazoid dining, lodging, and ceremonial traditions have remained constant for hundreds of years. Order the jestral tea, and you won't be disappointed! (For more tips on visiting traditional Betazoid communities, see chapter 6.2. For more tips on Betazoid food and drink, see chapter 3.)

Think of the openness as a new way of life to explore. After all, it's not every day you get to visit Betazed. Make the most of it!


End file.
